Villainy - Devoted
Devoted villains are obsessive, driven by emotion, and generally insulated by their goals. The Devoted villain does not see herself as a villain, but as a loyalist - she is hardworking, noble, dependable, and reliable - or so she tells herself. Her devotion to a cause greater than herself gives her strength of purpose, which helps make her feel a part of something larger. The Devoted villain is not a simple-minded fanatic, blindly following orders - she is intelligent and able to go about plans with extravagant detail, and makes her exceedingly dangerous. The Devoted villain is creative, cunning, and above all else, aware of the force(s) opposing her. She is fully prepared to remove any obstacle blocking her from her purpose - she knows what needs to be done and is not afraid to take the fight to the enemy or resort to drastic measures in order to ensure her cause succeeds. Her determination is as terrifying to her enemies as it is inspiring to her allies and those who serve alongside her. The Devoted is a remarkably personal villain in spite of the broad, epic nature of many of the subtypes. They are extremely human, with largely believable goals and desires. Of all the villains, the Devoted is the most likely to have a personal connection to the protagonists. For this reason, the Devoted often works well as the arch-villain of a particular protagonist or small group. The motivations for this villain archetype are, perhaps, the most detailed and involved of any villain subtype. Rather than being driven by greed or anger, this villain is dedicated to what she views as a higher cause - consequently, loyalty, honor, duty, and even love can be the motivations for a villain of this archetype. Since he is more than a monster, he can be intriguing, even likable and respectable. Protagonists who face a Devoted villain often find themselves facing a foe who would have made for a powerful ally had the circumstances been different. Devoted villains often have many redeeming qualities, though they often do not see themselves as in need of redemption; truly, most feel their pursuit of a righteous cause will lead to betterment for all. The Devoted villain is often charismatic and has little trouble attracting followers of similar beliefs. She appears to have great strength of purpose, which many will interpret as strength of character. Others will rally when this villain sounds a call to arms, and she will try her hardest not to disappoint. This villain does care about those who follow her lead, and does not typically callously throw their lives away - though this villain often has little trouble doing so if the situation calls for it, especially if it means a greater victory down the road. The tactics and plots of a Devoted villain are almost guaranteed to bring them into conflict with others. They pursue their cause without regard for the laws of the land, believing themselves to be above it. The most devoted of these villains see the authorities as pitiable dupes and pawns, but will not let this interfere with their mission. As many of these villains serve a higher power, be it a nation or organization, they often have access to much more resources than other villain types, and can pose a much greater threat than her status might suggest. As a simplistic villain, the Devoted at first glance seems to be naught but a simple-minded fanatic; with proper GM development, however, a great villain can be created with an intellect that explains her devotion. A well-written personal history can help explain the particular focus of a Devoted villain's dedication. The four subtypes of Devoted villain are Avenger, Crusader, Dark Messiah, and Obsessive. Devoted Subtypes Avenger Crusader Dark Messiah Obsessive Back to Villain Archetypes.